Editor's Review

Miguna said the government was manifesting recklessness through its rush to implement the controversial plan.

Lawyer Miguna Miguna has sharply differed with President William Ruto's administration on its insistence to import duty-free Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) food to reinforce food security in the face of the ravaging drought.

Owing to the food situation, the government has restated its resolve to import the products until local production can assure the country of food security.

Miguna Miguna is however of a differing opinion; he says such plans ought to have all Kenyans involved.

According to him, it depicts recklessness when the government chooses to impose the GMO products without getting the okay from Kenyans.

"I say a firm no to the mad rush to import GMO Maize and other foods to Kenya. I believe that it’s irresponsible and amounts to recklessness on the part of the Kenya Kwanza government. Such national policy shifts should be preceded by wide national consultations and debates," said Miguna.

File image of lawyer Miguna Miguna. Photo: Twitter.
Earlier, Cabinet Secretary For Trade, Industry and Investment Moses Kuria had asked Kenyans not to worry about the GMO foods and products.

The CS, however, while defending GMOs noted that people should not be worried about GMOs on grounds that they cause death.

He said, after all, many things can cause death in Kenya noting that adding GMOs to the list is not a problem.

"We have things that can kill us in Kenya. Being in the country you are a candidate for death and because there are so many things competing for death, there is nothing wrong with adding GMOs to that list," the CS noted on Thursday.

The comments come on the very day he said he had allowed a duty-free importation of GMOs to cushion Kenyans on food scarcity facing the country and hunger.

The CS said the government would allow the duty-free products into the country for a period of six months.

"In view of the food situation in the country, I shall be signing instruments to allow duty-free imports of GMO and non-GMO Maize for the next 6 months," he tweeted.

GMOs have been a major topic of discussion among Kenyans with a section opposing the move by the government to lift a ban on the products.

Ruto's regime lifted the ban in a bid to allow the country to have a surplus of food owing to the rising cost of living.